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Meanwhile, the scene at the port on the south bank was quite different. Countless ships of all sizes were densely packed in the harbor, from huge multi-story ships that were more than ten feet long and had several decks, to agile and swift warships, and even more troop transports and supply ships, with masts like a forest and sails like a multitude of shadows.

On the ships and shore, countless Heavenly Alliance soldiers, clad in dark naval battle uniforms or sleek, tight-fitting attire, were conducting final checks and preparations. They whispered orders, inspected weapons, crossbows, and grappling hooks, and loaded bundles of arrows, jars of oil, and disassembled crossbow parts onto the ships. Everyone wore solemn expressions, their eyes gleaming with eager anticipation, yet there was not a sound of discord. The discipline was chilling.

Song Que, clad in black armor and a deep blue cloak, stood on a high platform at the main dock, his hand on his sword. He had concealed all his sharpness, like a peerless sword before it was drawn—calm and dangerous. His gaze slowly swept over the massive fleet assembled in the harbor, then turned to the impenetrable darkness of the night to the north. Beside him, several naval officers and messengers stood at attention, awaiting orders.

"Report—Beacon towers No. 3, No. 7, and No. 11 on the north bank have been confirmed to have been cleared."

"Report—Three enemy patrol teams along the river have lost contact, and no unusual alarms have been detected."

"Report: The fog on the river is getting thicker, and the wind has shifted to the southeast, which is favorable for navigation."

Concise reports quickly gathered through flag signals and the exceptionally skilled messengers.

Song Que nodded slightly, looked up at the sky, and calculated the time. It was the third quarter of the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), the time when people were most tired and least vigilant.

"Pass the order."

Song Que's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of every general: "First wave, proceed. Target: Baishazhou, Longwangji, and Wulindu on the north bank. After landing, establish beachhead positions quickly according to Plans A, B, and C, expand to both sides, eliminate the remaining enemy, and protect subsequent landing points."

"Order!"

The order was given, and over a hundred warships and fast boats anchored at the forefront of the harbor silently glided into the mist-shrouded river. The sound of oars hitting the water was strictly controlled to a minimum, and the sails were only partially raised. With the help of the southeast wind and the skilled crew, they sped towards the designated landing point. Each ship was fully loaded with dozens of elite swordsmen, shield bearers, and archers—the sharp blades to tear through the defenses.

The first wave of attacking fleets quickly approached the north bank. Because the Tang army's scouting system had been destroyed in advance by the Yin Kui faction, it wasn't until these ships were less than a hundred paces from the shore that some Tang soldiers near the water's edge camps vaguely heard the unusual sound of water and saw the huge black shadow emerging from the fog.

"Enemy...enemy attack!"

The piercing sound of police gongs finally rang out in panic at several ferry crossings on the north bank, but it was too late!
"Fire arrows!"

Before the ship even reached the shore, the archers on board had already begun their attack! Rigorously trained, they maintained extremely high accuracy even on the rocking ship and in the dim light. Waves of crossbow bolts rained down like locusts on the hastily assembled Tang army and their camp fences on the shore, instantly eliciting screams of agony.

"Dock! Land!"

The ships crashed heavily onto the beach or makeshift docks, the planks lowered, and fully armed Heavenly Alliance soldiers roared as they leaped from the vessels, wading through the river and charging towards the Tang army's defensive lines on the shore. A flurry of swords and spears instantly clashed on the dimly lit beach. The Tang army, caught off guard, many soldiers just awakened from their sleep, their armor disheveled, their formations scattered. How could they withstand these well-rested and prepared elite troops? Resistance was swiftly crushed, and the beachhead fell one after another.

Following closely behind the first wave of attacking fleets, the even larger second and third transport convoys, carrying more infantry, craftsmen, and light equipment, began crossing the river. On the river, thousands of sails raced across, striving to remain silent, yet an invisible, chilling atmosphere of impending doom already soared into the sky.

The resistance was somewhat fiercer towards Wulin Ferry. A Tang army garrison of about 800 men was stationed there. The garrison soldiers were of high quality, and after discovering the enemy, they quickly occupied the earthen slope behind the ferry under the command of the captain, and built a temporary defensive line with crossbows and spears in an attempt to block the landing of the Heavenly Alliance army.

However, they faced more than just infantry charging onto the beach.

Several smaller, shallower speedboats, using the reeds along the shore as cover, quietly circled around to the flank of the earthen slope. Dozens of agile men in black leaped from the boats; these were the skilled members of the Yin Kui Sect, supporting the main army's operation. They launched an attack from the weak points and rear of the Tang army's defenses. Poisoned darts, unpredictable palm techniques, and unpredictable mental interference instantly created immense chaos within the Tang army's ranks.

Meanwhile, on a warship in the middle of the river, several improved, longer-range heavy crossbows adjusted their angles and, guided by observers, launched specially made earthenware jars filled with potent oil towards the rear of the Tang army's positions. "Boom!" "Boom!" The jars shattered, the oil splattering everywhere, and was immediately ignited by rockets. Flames shot up from the earthen slope, thick smoke billowed, and the Tang army's defensive formation completely collapsed.

"Withdraw! Quickly withdraw!"

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the Tang army captain had no choice but to lead his remaining troops in a rout. But they soon discovered, in despair, that small groups of elite Heavenly Alliance cavalry were constantly ambushing them on the main roads. These cavalrymen were actually traveling in specially made flat-bottomed boats, crossing the river almost simultaneously with the infantry. Their warhorses were blindfolded and calmed as they crossed the river. Once ashore, they would quickly assemble to carry out the mission of flanking maneuvers and expanding their gains.

Along the long riverbank west and east of Jingling, similar river crossings and breakthroughs were taking place at many seemingly inconspicuous locations. The Tiandao Alliance's superior troop strength and naval control allowed them to choose multiple landing points simultaneously, leaving the already understaffed and long-deployed Tang army's northern defense line vulnerable and leaky at every turn.

As the first hint of dawn appeared on the eastern horizon, the battlefront stretching over a hundred miles along the north bank of the Yangtze River was already ablaze with smoke and the sounds of battle. Dozens of landing points of varying sizes had been largely secured, and a steady stream of Heavenly Alliance troops were set foot on the northern shore, advancing inland according to plan to sweep away the remaining enemy forces, seize key locations, and establish connections between the landing points.

The commander guarding the city wall was a deputy general under Li Xiaogong, a member of the Li Tang imperial family. He was awakened from his sleep by his personal guards and climbed the city wall. The sight that greeted him terrified him: on the river, countless boats were still shuttling back and forth, transporting troops and supplies; outside the city, flames were shooting into the sky in many places, those were the lost beacon towers and camps; closer still, he could see the Heavenly Alliance army, with its black flags and orderly ranks, approaching the city, and even parts of siege equipment could be seen among them!
"Quickly! Light the beacon fires! Request reinforcements from Chang'an! All troops, move to the city walls! Hold the line and await reinforcements!"

The defending general shouted hoarsely, his voice trembling uncontrollably. The city of Jingling had only three thousand soldiers, mostly new recruits; how could they possibly withstand the overwhelming enemy force? Whether the so-called reinforcements could break through the enemy's defenses and arrive was still uncertain.

The rising sun finally broke free from the horizon, casting its golden rays upon the earth and illuminating the already discolored land on the north bank of the Yangtze River. The river water was tinged with red, and occasionally, floating corpses appeared. Torn flags fluttered helplessly in the morning breeze. The dark black "Heavenly Way" flags began to rise one after another on the city walls and camps where the "Tang" flags had previously flown.

The first phase of the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign ended in a complete victory for the Heavenly Alliance, thanks to the Yin Kui Faction's covert nighttime clearing and the Song Que's thunderous land and naval forces. The meticulously constructed but still fragile Jiangbei defense line of the Li Tang dynasty crumbled overnight. The gateway to the heart of the Central Plains was kicked open.

…………

Xiangyang, the Zhennan Governor's Office.

Yi Huawei stood with his hands behind his back by the window of a high-rise building, facing north. Although they were far apart, his spiritual senses could perceive the chilling killing intent on the river and the rising blood and fire on the north bank. A member of the Shadow Clan appeared behind him like a wisp of smoke, knelt on one knee, and handed him a front-line briefing that had just been sent by carrier pigeon.

Yi Huawei took it and glanced at it. It briefly recorded the progress of each landing point, the level of enemy resistance, and the key locations that had been occupied.

His face showed no joy, only a calm, unwavering composure, as if all of this had been expected.

"Order Song Que to advance steadily according to the established strategy, consolidate the beachhead, and connect the various armies. Order Su Dingfang's troops to accelerate the crossing of the river and penetrate towards Suizhou to block enemy reinforcements. Order Xu Shiji's troops to advance towards Anlu after crossing the river to intimidate the area along the Han River."

After a pause, he said again:

"Furthermore, a message was sent by carrier pigeon to Baling, ordering the reserve fleet and some troops from Lingnan to begin assembling and awaiting orders towards Jiangling."

The war has begun. In the Nanyang Basin, at Xinye City (present-day Xinye, Henan).

This strategic stronghold, located on the north bank of the Yu River (now the Bai River), a tributary of the Han River, connecting Xiangyang with the Central Plains, is now bearing the first heavy blow from the south.

After sweeping through the area surrounding Ruozhou, Su Dingfang's vanguard cavalry advanced directly into Xinye. Utilizing the mobility of the cavalry, they thoroughly wiped out all Tang army outposts and beacon towers outside the city, severing all land connections between Xinye and Wancheng (present-day Nanyang) to the north and Wuguan Pass to the west.

Subsequently, a dense array of troop transport ships appeared on the river from the direction of Xiangyang. After the Yin Kui Sect experts cleared away the resistance along the riverbanks in advance, a large number of Tiandao Alliance infantry landed and, under the cover of siege equipment, completely surrounded Xinye. The defending force numbered less than 5,000, mostly local militia, and faced with the ferocious and well-equipped elite troops of the Tiandao Alliance, their resistance lasted only a day. The city walls were breached in several places by the concentrated bombardment of catapults, and the Yin Kui Sect experts infiltrated under cover of night to create chaos, allowing the city gates to be opened by an inside agent…

The capture of Xinye meant that the Heavenly Alliance had driven a solid wedge north of the Han River, gaining its first important forward base for its northward march into the Central Plains. More importantly, troops, provisions, and heavy equipment from Xiangyang could be continuously transported to Xinye via the Yu River, greatly shortening the supply line.

Su Dingfang stood atop the ruined city wall, gazing at the vast northern plains with a cold and stern expression.

The real test has only just begun; Li Tang's counterattack will soon arrive. His mission is to clear the flanks for the main allied forces in the Nanyang Basin and contain any Tang reinforcements that may come from the direction of Luoyang.

Meanwhile, northwest of Jingling, in Anlu County (present-day Anlu and Yunmeng area of ​​Hubei Province).

Xu Shiji's other army also made rapid progress. After defeating the Tang army in front of them, they did not rush to advance westward into the mountains to attack Shangyong. Instead, they advanced northwestward along the relatively flat Yunshui (now Fuhe) valley, capturing several cities in succession. Their advance was aimed directly at Zengshan (northwest of present-day Hanchuan, on the east bank of the Han River), an important crossing point on the Han River.

Once Zengshan is captured, the Han River waterway will be severely threatened, and the route by which the Tang army transports supplies and troops to Xiangyang via the Han River will be cut off.

More importantly, across from Zengshan lies Mianyang (present-day Xiantao), a crucial town on the west bank of the Han River. Taking Mianyang would allow them to join forces with the Tiandao Alliance's detachment (reorganized from the former Baling garrison) advancing north from Jiangling, thus completely controlling the middle and lower reaches of the Han River, eradicating the remaining forces of the Li Tang dynasty in the Jingxiang region, and creating an excellent opportunity for the next step: a northwestward attack on Hanzhong along the Han River, or a northeastward pincer attack on Suizhou and Nanyang.

...............

The news of the Heavenly Alliance army crossing the river instantly ignited the entire Jiangbei region!

The Tang army commander guarding Ruozhou was terrified by the deafening sound of horses' hooves and panicked shouts outside the city. He rushed to the top of the city wall and saw a black torrent sweeping across the southern plains at an alarming speed, its banners bearing unfamiliar black patterns of stars and swords.

"Heavens... Heavenly Alliance! How did they cross the river? Where are the beacon fires? Where are the scouts?!"

The commander's voice trembled, and he was almost incoherent. There were only three thousand defenders in the city, most of whom were newly recruited soldiers with low morale.

Panic quickly spread throughout the Li Tang-controlled area north of the Yangtze River. Defeated soldiers scattered and fled, spreading chaotic and exaggerated news such as "The southern army has crossed the river!" "Countless warships!" "Ruozhou is besieged!" to all directions.

The local garrison was filled with doubt and uncertainty. Some closed their city gates tightly, while others tried to seek help from Luoyang. However, the messengers were often intercepted and killed on the way by strangely skilled masters or cavalry squads that appeared out of nowhere.

The Li Tang dynasty's defense system north of the Yangtze River was still in its infancy. Its core idea was "defense" rather than "keeping the enemy out of the country's borders," and it had not anticipated that the enemy would launch such a sudden and fierce all-out attack from what they considered the safest direction, the Yangtze River. The local garrisons fought independently, lacking unified command and effective coordination, and were further thrown into disarray by the lightning-fast attacks of the Heavenly Alliance and the elusive Yin Kui Sect masters.

Within just three days, the urgent message from Jiangbei finally broke through the Heavenly Alliance's layers of interception like an avalanche, reaching Luoyang, which had only recently settled down, and was delivered to Li Shimin and his strategists and generals.

………………

Luoyang, Ziwei City, Xiande Hall.

The smoke rising from the bronze beast incense burner inside the hall was almost frozen by an invisible, heavy atmosphere.

The flickering candlelight cast intermittent light and shadow on Li Shimin's angular face.

"...The outer beacon towers were all darkened, and the defending troops witnessed enemy ships swarming like locusts on the river... The garrison commander of Anlu surrendered, and the Mianyang waterway was cut off... Xinye had fallen into Su Dingfang's hands, and the gateway to Nanyang was wide open..."

Li Shimin's voice echoed in the hall, striking the hearts of key civil and military officials such as Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Changsun Wuji, Yuchi Jingde, and Qin Qiong.

In just a few days, the situation in Jiangbei had deteriorated to this point, far exceeding their worst expectations. The hall was deathly silent, save for heavy breathing and the occasional soft rustling of armor plates.

"Snapped!"

Li Shimin slammed the last military report on the table, abruptly looked up, his eyes flashing with a sharp light as he swept over the faces of the crowd, filled with shock and anger: "Overnight, the natural barrier of the Yangtze River has become a mere formality! The Yin Kui Sect's underhanded tricks and the Heavenly Alliance's ruthless military tactics have truly opened my eyes!"

He took a deep breath, suppressing the surging anger and a trace of fear in his chest, forcing himself to regain his composure. He turned his gaze to Fang Xuanling: "Xuanling, the enemy's intentions are clear. What's your opinion?"

Fang Xuanling's face turned pale, but his eyes remained calm. He walked to the huge map hanging in the center of the hall and drew a line from Xiangyang northward:

"Your Highness, the Heavenly Alliance's military tactics are deeply rooted in the essence of 'momentum.' They are by no means content with merely capturing a few cities north of the Yangtze River. Look at the direction of their forces—Su Dingfang's capture of Xinye threatens Nanyang, aiming to sever the southern connection between Luoyang and Hanzhong and Guanzhong, and may even advance westward to Wuguan, shaking Guanzhong; Xu Shiji is heading towards Zengshan and Mianyang, with the goal of completely controlling the middle and lower reaches of the Han River, wiping out the remaining forces of Jingzhou and Xiangyang, while paving the way for a flanking attack on Suizhou and coordinating with the main force's northward advance."

The finger emphasizes the locations of "Tangzhou" (present-day Tanghe) and "Nanyang" (Wancheng):

"Song Que's main force, after securing the beachhead, will surely advance rapidly along the Jingxiang Northern Road, aiming directly at Tangzhou and even Nanyang! Once they capture the Nanyang Basin, they can advance directly to Luoyang, retreat to protect Xiangyang, and even connect with Su Dingfang in the east and Xu Shiji in the west, completely locking our army around Luoyang! At that time, our army will be attacked from three sides, and even with the defense of Tongguan, we will be trapped like a caged beast!"

Du Ruhui interjected, his voice filled with barely suppressed anxiety: "What's even more worrying are the elusive Yin Kui Sect masters in the enemy army, and... that alliance leader who has never shown himself, yet commands the likes of Song Que and Zhu Yuyan to obey his orders! If he were to follow in the footsteps of his past actions of beheading Bi Xuan and defeating Ning Daoqi on the battlefield, and carry out a decapitation strike against our generals or even Your Highness... the morale of our army would collapse instantly!"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of all the generals in the hall, including the valiant Yuchi Jingde, subtly changed. The aura of a supreme martial artist can sometimes be more terrifying than that of a million soldiers amidst thousands of troops.

A cold glint flashed in Li Shimin's eyes. Du Ruhui's words resonated with his deepest anxieties. After a moment's contemplation, he declared decisively, "The Jiangbei defense line has been breached. A step-by-step retreat will only lead to our being divided and devoured. The most urgent task is to concentrate our forces, hold off their main force at key locations, buy time, and await a change in the situation!" (End of Chapter)